


Unfair Order

by Alku04



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Arguing, Arranged Marriage, Budding Love, Daydreaming, Family Problems, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, boring guard duty, what-if scenarios
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-05-06 23:44:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14658732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alku04/pseuds/Alku04
Summary: Co written by Journen: Thranduil takes it a step too far in controlling Legolas' life, causing an argument to spiral out of control.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This story was written by myself and my friend Journen! We started this story in January and only just now getting around to posting the first chapter ^_^. We both are excited to share what we have been working on and we hope that you like it. This will not be an overtly long story, but we predict a few more chapters will be added as we have time to write.

Tauriel stifled a yawn. She squeezed her eyes shut while she clenched her jaw, doing everything in her power to push the automatic intake away. Her eyes watered with the effort, but her determination suppressed the need to get her blood pumping - a sign of boredom during this important, yet dull and eventless task.

She, along with only three others, were on guard duty this day, charged with the overrated order to protect their king within the already safe confines of his throne room. They were dressed in their heaviest armor, polished so that every piece of guarding glinted with even the faintest speck of light. Gold-toned helmets rested upon each of their heads, shielding most of their defining features behind a grand yet intimidating display of metalsmithing. They carried nearly every kind of weapon they could know how to wield, strapped in various places about their person, but the door guards remained in formation - statue-like - while holding spears in front of them so they would always be at the ready should disaster occur.

But it was pointless really. There had never been an attack within the palace and any external threat was being heavily monitored along the borders of Mirkwood - too far away to even be considered a danger. And yet, Tauriel found herself here, stuck within the rotation among the ranks of warriors who every-so-often had to leave their routine posts and duties behind to take their turn in being the final fighting force who would risk it all to protect their sparse royal family.

Another yawn was on the rise and the she-elf wrinkled her nose to continue suppressing the tightening muscles, but this time the buildup was too great. Without her consent, Tauriel's jaw flexed open giving way to a silent gasp before she forcibly rushed her exhale. Her eyes darted immediately to the grand throne chair, worried that her Monarch may have witnessed such a pitiful display within his presence, but she relaxed slightly when Thranduil's attentions proved to be elsewhere.

The flaxen-haired king was at ease today, indulging in his prized vintage of ruby nectar. A chalice of garnet wine rested effortlessly in his graceful, ring-clad fingers, sipping on it at his own leisurely pace while he brushed up on a few reports that had been dropped off some moments before. He took pause... only to reach for a crystal decanter resting off to the side of his seat and he helped himself to another glass of cerise wine.

Tauriel watched his lackadaisical movements, dully wondering why the king even bothered to pour it into a glass. It was likely that Thranduil would consume the entire contents of the carafe and she figured it would save the palace staff the chore of cleaning the goblet... but ultimately, she cared little about the details in which her king partook in his sipping. At least this could give her some sort of silent entertainment; counting the glasses as they were consumed. She eyed the spout of liquid while it pooled in the cup's base, making a calculated guess as to the number of servings the decanter could still possibly hold.

**... _Eight more_.** She wagered, but watched on as the pool of wine grew deeper and deeper with each passing second. ** _Perhaps six then... if he consistently keeps his pours that long._ ** she smirked to herself.

Thranduil finally cut his portion off and placed the vessel back in its stored position beside the throne chair before lounging back in the magnificent seat that nearly swallowed him with its sheer size. The royal chair was carved from an ancient oak tree that fell victim to a lightning strike during a storm within the early years of Greenwood's uprising. But rather than leave the timber to rot away, Thranduil's father, Oropher, put it to use and ordered it to be transformed into the mighty cathedra that was still used. Decorative touches had been added to it over the years, but nothing compared to the massive elk antlerless that currently loomed over head. They were symbolic in a way as the massive rack resembled a crown that the mighty elk would wear, for he was the king of beasts in these wooded lands.

But now, the deciduous horns sat above the elves' throne, acting as an ornate reminder of where the true power sat. The ruling headdress of forest growth rested on Thranduil's head who reclined in the thrown below. He carefully crossed one leg over the other, sinking deeper into the crook between the arm ledge and back as the wine glass was tipped to his lips.

The quiet and calm air seemed to reflect in Thranduil's apparent mood, only interrupted by a slight sigh of content coming from the unwound king. However, the hall was cast back into its boring state when the reporting parchments were picked back up.

And so, Tauriel found that once again, she had to battle her own functions with the instinctual need to yawn. It was maddening being rooted in place with nothing stimulating to hold her fascination. It was a wonder how the other guards managed to keep their rigid and attentive position.

She shifted her centered weight to one foot, slowly so that her movements would go unnoticed. However, this new position felt awkward and she knew she looked just as out-of-place as she felt. She straightened up with a barely audible sigh of defeat, but that only fueled her need to take a longer drag that would boil over into the dramatic gasp…. And then, she could feel it building in her jaw.

She tried to stop it, but the motion had already been set and there was no way to retain the swell in Tauriel's lungs as she yawned for what seemed like the millionth time that day.

Beside her, a warrior leaned forward with minimalistic movements and the she-elf turned just enough to get a glimpse of him from the corner of her eye.

It was her captain.

He bore daggers into her, using the intense smolder of his dark orbs to project his message.

** _Get yourself together, Tauriel! You know better!**_  she could almost hear his order being barked at her. She snapped herself back into position, standing stiffly while keeping her eyes riveted on the spear she held out in front of her.

"Sorry…" She mouthed the words silently and the subtle clinking of armor resonated softly from her captain as he too got back into his former position to wait out the rest of his watch.

** _Only a few more hours.**_  she told herself with forced optimism and Tauriel pushed her shoulders back, propping her posture into a sturdy stance. She could make it through this.

At least she had tonight to look forward to.

Instantly, a spark of excitement burst through her core, but she did not dare move a muscle. She had been anticipating this evening, planned with a long overdue commitment that had been scheduled well over a month ago. One of her closest friends - her prince no less - had arranged to spar in the training grounds during a rare occasion in that they both had the night off. Legolas always seemed to be tied down with increasing responsibilities to keep the kingdom running. And while the prince was busy toiling away with royal duties, she expended much of her efforts to begin her climb in the ranks as a soldier. Ultimately, this deemed any of their overlapping free time as nearly non-existent. While Tauriel was never starved for days off, Legolas was another matter and it was not often the two got to see much of each other.

She supposed it was It was a shame in a way, but right now, she was too happy to really think about her friend's past absences, for tonight that was going to change.

And, as if spending time with Legolas wasn't enough, she looked forward to the fact that she could simply let loose, especially after the way in which her day was currently going. But even the mere thought of feeling the pleasant weight of her weapons in her hands sent a giddy shiver down her spine. Before too long, she would be slashing, ducking, twirling and dodging as she danced in a potentially deadly ballet in her fevered quest to become the victor in her sparring session.

As hectic as it sounded, there was a relaxing, therapeutic quality found within the chaotic rush of battle, even if it was mostly pretended. But whether or not she sparred with her lifelong friend, or if they simply took an easy walk through the forest, she loved nights like these and considered this free time a blessing. Legolas had a strong and vibrant soul that emanated compassion, traits that always put her at ease within his presence despite his high and dignified title of Prince. Over the years, most people came to think the heir to the throne was a tad intimidating, for his father's tendency to let his quick temper flair was common knowledge. But even if Legolas did harbor these inherited traits, rarely did anyone see them and he held everyone with a high regard of their own right; a modest quality not normally found within royalty.

Tauriel could see these changes as the effects of time worked their magic. She had grown up with the prince and as children there were few boundaries in which they needed to adhere to. Legolas was just like any normal elfling she encountered - other than the fact that his father was the King. But as they transformed into well-rounded adults, his title and social rank seemed to take on more weight. He had to start acting like a true prince. But as his mannerisms were molded to fit the princely protocol, she found that Legolas still treated her, and many others, as an equal. She was always warmly welcome in his eyes and there was a sense of true, unconditional belonging. That made her proud and she appreciated it.

No... she loved it.

She felt a small smile prickle at her lips from her thoughts, but she made no attempt to hide it as she allowed her mind to wallow in every fond memory she had with the prince - and there were a lot; running through the heavily wooded forests as young carefree youths, laughing, singing, finding their own selves while experiencing the normal growing pains of life as they balanced the tedious rounds of training to become renowned warriors who would serve their realm with pride.

And through it all, she felt the development of something little more connective between them - an emotional bond that was far stronger and more important than an ordinary friendship. It was love.

-ly.

It was lovely.

She corrected her thoughts quickly, now finding her heart hammering so hard, she was sure her captain could hear it. She chanced a glance at him to see if the veteran warrior was on to her, but his sights were diligently held in front of him, much to her relief.

Tauriel settled down, now shocked that her thoughts had run far to freely. But in the same light, she could not quite deny some of the truth they held.

Oh, but what was she thinking?! Legolas... Her * _friend_ *... In * _love_ *?! She shook her head to herself, finding a warm flush spread across her cheeks. Though she had visited this idea before, her heart's desire had never been so clear, nor as intense. Yet, she knew the reality in that this was nothing more than a fancy daydream.

Besides, what would Legolas think?! No doubt there was someone far more fitting for him!

Surely she was going mad by now. The she-elf glanced toward the king's decanter of wine to gauge the passage of time by the missing servings, disappointed that there was still far too much left for her liking.

With a silent huff, Tauriel tried to reason with herself to quell the fluttering in her core... She was just bored and found * _some_ * enjoyment in her thoughts... there was no harm in conjuring up 'what-if' scenarios, for Legolas had no such feelings towards her. She was just being ridiculous.

A sudden rush of movement marched past Tauriel's doorway post position as a lone person made their way into the throne room. She nearly jumped as Legolas unexpectedly appeared and Tauriel held her breath after a surprise spark of longing ignited deep within. However, it burned away quickly, morphing into confused worry as she took full notice of her friend's appearance.

The prince's gait was determined and he never faltered in his strong approach towards the throne. He was adorned with armor and his clothing looked travel weary with dust. Evidently he had just come back from patrol. But rather than change out of his heavy guard and freshen up before he made an appearance before his king, he saw the need to report directly to his father over some matter that took priority over those privileges.

Thranduil seemed to notice the same thing for he too caught sight of his beloved son the moment he set foot through the threshold. The king smiled warmly at first, but it drained away after all cues of ill news rolled of the prince's presence. The king sat up immediately to await his son's approach, worry clouding his stony visage.

The prince closed the distance without hesitation and climbed the flight of stairs to stand before his high lord on the platform intended as a subject's landing. There, the father read his son easily and it was plain to see that Legolas did not come to report any ill news. Rather, his son was upset... with him.

The king's eyes squinted as Thranduil came to his own conclusions, and he could feel his own hard front of resistance start to build.

The prince forwent any formalities and launched right into the matter that brought him here.

"I have been told my presence is required at dinner tonight as the palace is entertaining important guests." He said icily, his sapphire eyes locked on the identical ones of his father.

Thranduil was taken aback, for no one spoke to him in that manner and he was not sure if he actually heard the disrespectful tone or he made it up in his head. He wanted to give his son the benefit of a doubt, finding that his anger was not exactly keen after coming out of such a calm repose. Surely the wine was helping. Thranduil opened his mouth to speak, but the prince cut him off tersely, a dangerous and bold move on his part.

"I knew nothing of this." Legolas' fair features were marred by a frown of disapproval after his father did not outright deny any of the news.

Thranduil's jaw slackened, allowing his lips to part slightly. He was astonished after realizing he had not imagined the prince's brashness.

"Well then..." the king started off with a cool flippancy to brush the prince's cares off his agenda. "...you know of it now." Thranduil jumped his thick brows to punctuate his statement and send his message across that the conversation was over. His intense stare bore into his son. Had the subject been any other person, they would have frozen in fear.

" _Ada_ ," Legolas reproached, letting out a sigh realizing that he was not making the situation better with his lack of manners. He continued on, but the anger in his tone had dropped a few degrees. "I was given leave tonight well over a month ago and I already have other arrangements." the prince tried to explain.

Thranduil shrugged his shoulders, indifferent to his son's wants, especially after the way in which he was previously addressed.

"Cancel them." The king stated simply, unfazed by the hurtful disappointment that darkened his sons' countenance. Thranduil turned in his throne chair to reach for the wine decanter and helped himself to a fresh glassful.

The prince did a remarkable job in keeping himself composed, but on the inside the younger elf bristled. Legolas took a calming breath to fight against his frustrations. He knew this was going to be a losing battle, for Thranduil had already made up his mind in the matter. It would be near impossible to change it. But maybe... just maybe he could reverse the decision if he used a different tactic. Despite the odds, he had to try if he had any hopes in salvaging his plans with Tauriel.

"Father... Please, I-"

"Legolas!" Thranduil interrupted with his thunderous voice now taking on strict authority. As far as he was concerned, this conversation ended the moment the prince started with his disrespectful tone. The king finished pouring his wine then practically shoved the container off to the side as the crystal vase was placed none-too-gently on the table. "This is not up for debate! You are a prince - your duties come first and I find myself exacerbated by the fact that I need to remind you of this again! You do not have the luxury to pick and choose what you do nor when! The palace has guests... that means * _you_ * have guests and I am * _ever-so-sorry_ * that * _I_ * failed to halt all dealings with the kingdom in order bring this *inconvenient* and last minute date to * _your_ * attention in a timely manner." the king nearly spat his mocked words while sending off a terse explanation to which he owed to no one. The king arched a single brow, daring his son to talk back.

The silence was uncomfortable and the king used this opportune moment to bring his glass to lips again.

Legolas crossed his arms and looked off to try and hide the scowl that turned his handsome features.

"...Who is here?" the prince asked quietly but his disapproval over the matter was still very clear.

The king lowered his glass with a forced smile. "... Lord Elrond... and his family."

The black look Legolas wore turned perplexed and he glanced to his father, unsure if this was some sort of joke. The prince had met the Lord of Imladris only a handful of times and he developed a strong respect for Elrond. Even if the other wood-elves were wary of him since the relationship between realms tainted after the turnout of the Last Great Alliance, Legolas maintained his own opinion. It was not Elrond's fault that Legolas' grandfather, King Oropher, was killed in the battle nor was he to blame for the countless warrior lives that were also lost.

Besides, Elrond's sons, Elladan and Elrohir were becoming well respected leaders themselves and they were always a pleasure to be around. The prince would even consider them friends outside of royal duties.

But this was not making any sense to Legolas. Surely the Peredhil family did not stop by to have a friendly visit due to the simple fact that Mirkwood was considerably out of anyone's way. And even if they did want to catch up, he could not fathom why they would chose to come here because of the growing infestation of giant spiders taking over the southern forests, not to mention the increasing threat of orcs. It would have to be a matter of great importance to drive anyone into traveling deep into the dark forests, but Legolas was unaware of any issues that would spur a formal gathering. Besides, Thranduil seemed to be far more preoccupied in dancing around the matter as if to taunt his son with an unusual punishment for his lacking manners rather than take any kind of proactive measures on a pressing issue. Therefore, in the prince's mind, this meeting could not be urgent - if it was even important at all.

"Why have they come here?' Legolas asked, his phrase still dripping with resentment towards the situation.

Thranduil considered his son for a moment and had half a mind to retain the requested information. However, if Legolas was upset over having to break his personal plans - whatever they may be - the king knew some sort of argument would ensure over the details of this visit... No, it would be better to get it out of the way now, rather than during dinner and risk causing a scene.

The king set his wine glass down on the arm of the throne and toyed with the thin lip of the chalice under the pad of a single digit, tracing the circular curve of the cup. He contemplated his every word, making Legolas wait to get his answer.

"Lord Elrond sent a request nearly a fortnight ago to have a... meeting of sorts... with you."

So many aspects of that statement did not sit well with the prince, particularly that the lengthy reply shed no more light on the matter. In fact, Legolas only had more questions.

"A fortnight ago..." Legolas looked off again, finding the pattern in the floor to be easier to look at than his own father. "And * _that_ * is a sudden meeting?" he mumbled to himself, but the king heard it no less.

"What did you say?!" The murderous stare that snapped across Thranduil's features was intensified as the king practically jumped to his feet. He glared down upon his son who did not even flinch, as opposed to the door guards who watched on. It was clear they were uncomfortable from their slight readjusting stances as they squirmed in their armor.

** _Oh, Legolas!_ ** Tauriel's eyes were huge, horrified that she had to witness this in silence. She wanted to shout out to her prince, tell him not to make the king angry and that their plans for tonight could always be rescheduled. Yet, she was required to keep her tongue and had no choice but to watch as Legolas dug himself in a deeper hole.

"I asked you a * _question_ *!" Thranduil barked, his voice echoed slightly in the great hall. The king had heard every word his son uttered, but Thranduil was challenging the prince, daring him to make another comment like that. Legolas was walking a thin line and Thranduil would gladly sever it if this continued. " _*What*_  did you say?!"

"Nothing." the prince picked his head up and locked his sights with his fathers, giving up his foolish need to make witty remarks. However, his strong pride was undoubtedly flashing within his own steely eyes, giving him at least that small victory.

Thranduil clenched his jaw, his lips pursing. His crowned head shook stiffly, silently demonstrating he had used up all his patience. The prince was running solely on luck right now.

Legolas switched subjects quickly to keep his father's ire from rising further, sensing that it would not be long before Thranduil surpassed the point of self-control and his anger had full control over him.

"Why do they want to meet with me?" The prince asked with a surprising calmness despite the threat of Thranduil's anger looming over head. The king on the other hand carefully calculated a million actions within his seal-off mind. Ultimately, he took the high road and slowly sat in his royal chair for dramatic effect. He pinned his son's hard gaze with his own scrutinizing eyes, only to look away and hold his noble head up high. The king refused to look at his disobedient son any longer.

The silence was pure tension.

The king took notice of his unattended wine glass and picked it up by the fragile stem. He began to mindlessly roll the fine glassware between his forefinger and thumb, watching the hypnotic spin of the glass as he marveled over the ruby liquid. It was odd in a way to watch Thranduil self-medicate his anger by distracting himself with his prized vintage, but it was not uncommon either. The mere sight of the glass' rich contents was enough to soothe some of the burning anger.

The prince waited patiently, silently rolling his eyes at having to watch the dramatic play. He wished his father would just tell him the details so they could be done with this whole mess.

Thranduil took his precious time in his decision to elaborate on any of tonight's plans... but then again, things needed to go smoothly. At this rate, the evening would end up in disaster.

"The ties between Rivendell and Mirkwood had been strained for some time." Thranduil started off and paused to take a sip from his cup. He still did not look at Legolas. "...And perhaps it is time to move forward and work together to eliminate potential enemies and ensure peace within our neighboring realms by gaining relations."

The prince had an unsettling feeling that he could not quite explain, but he listened to his king speak.

"And so, there has been a discussion of a... merger between our rule that would unite our forces and people, thus, securing a lasting and strong future for Mirkwood and all elven kind."

The prince was now intrigued by this turn of events and let his defenses drop. A merger between realms was no small task and he could now see the importance of this meeting, even if it wasn't exactly last minute. He let out a sigh to dissolve his anger. Sure, he was still upset by having to break his plans with Tauriel, but she would take the news with beauty and grace as she always did.

He made a silent vow to himself that he would make it up to her... eventually. This merger was most likely going to consume a lot of his time within the upcoming months as he needed to be present for strategy planning and diplomatic meetings to ensure whatever plans were made were followed through seamlessly. He just was not looking forward to having to break the news to her face-to-face. Of course he could send someone to deliver the disheartening news, but she deserved the courtesy to hear him explain and not think that she was being cast off as a second priority.

Then again, that is exactly what was happening. She was being brushed aside due to matters that took precedence over her, but that was not a personal choice. If he could truly have his way, Tauriel would always come first to him.

He hoped she would understand.

"A merger in our forces?" the prince repeated to get himself back on track. "Are you sure this is... right?" Legolas asked, but Thranduil could not answer while he took another swig of wine. "...Pulling our defences together * _would_ * strengthen the elven armies... should we find need to rely on all our resources collectively... Are all of the captains of our forces aware of what is going on? Perhaps they should join us. I can send word to every-"

"I am not talking about a merger of our armies, Legolas." Thranduil interjected tartly. "I am speaking of a merger in our houses... a * _union_ *."

A single prick of dread dropped to Legolas' core as Thranduil lifted his sights to finally offer Legolas a smug smirk.

"I am talking about a marriage."

The blood in Legolas' veins turned to ice, draining all the color from his face in pure and utter shock.

"A… what?" Legolas stammered, trying to wrap his head around the unexpected meaning being implied.

"Lord Elrond is entrusting more and more authority to Elladan and Elrohir. They are becoming more prominent figures in Rivendell's lordship... although I fail to see it with their constant joking antics and wild behaviors... But I can honestly say they are making a better impression than * _you_ * are currently making." the king glared at his son, but Legolas didn't even see it.

"We are not prepared for the future like Rivendell is." the king continued. "They are making progress with plans to pass on lordship, should the need arise. They have a solid plan with many appropriate people to take charge... Now…. you have demonstrated your abilities to step up and assume your responsibilities as expected of you, but the longevity in our line is growing stale."

Legolas could not believe what he was hearing.

"What does this have to do with the lords of Rivendell?!" he demanded, his heart thumping loudly in his ears causing his head to swim.

"You have met Elrond's sons on occasion, but you have never met his daughter."

* * *

**To Be Continued….**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

* * *

The king watched his son nonchalantly as the prince processed this unexpected news, but Thranduil eventually took to swirling the contents in his crystal goblet several times.

"...Daughter?" Legolas' question was sharp with bewildered consternation. His head felt as though it were spinning with everything being relayed to him.

"Arwen." Thranduil stated factually and he lost interest with his drink. The king set his glass down once more, watching his calculated placement of the goblet as he mentally strung his words together. "The youngest of Elrond's three children. She has been residing in Lothlorien since Lady Celebrian passed into the west after her unfortunate runin with orcs many years ago."

It took a moment for Legolas to understand what his father meant by the unusual mention of Elrond's wife, but eventually, through the haze of his scattered thoughts, vague whips of memory snagged Legolas' mind. He could recall some small mention of Lady Celebrian's horrific ordeal; how she was held captive and brutally tortured by orcs. Her rescue, however, did not save her completely for all attempts to heal her broken and battered heart had failed. News of her departure to Valinor sent a ripple of shock through the elven realms when word reached them.

Because of this, Legolas sympathized with Elladan and Elrohir for he too lost his mother, although Celebrian's passing was far more recent than Mirkwood's fair Queen. They never discussed it, but simply having that understanding in the back of their minds connected the three on some small level, he thought. Legolas could only guess as to why he had never heard of Arwen... perhaps the memory of Celebrian was too much for any of the Peredhil family to bare and so Arwen left Rivendell to escape her painful hardships, leaving her fractured family to cope in their own ways. Arwen's departure from Rivendell was yet another hard loss that Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir had to endure, unfolding immediately after the tragic events that destroyed their mother and the wounds that scared their hearts ached with the very mention of lossed loved ones.

Celebrian and Arwen were seldom spoken of.

And that was logic Legolas could understand; He rarely spoke of his mother for that very same reason and it seemed his small family unit was forever changed with the loss of his own mother. Through the years the lack of communication, misspoken words and undealt with grief drove a wedge between the once close father and son who were left to care for all of Mirkwood without its beloved Queen. There was no doubt that Thranduil loved his son, and Legolas loved his father, but it was more often than not that the two clashed heads on any number of issues, and sometimes it spiraled out of control.

The prince was pulled from his thoughts as Thranduil's deep voice filtered down from the throne chair.

"Arwen Undomiel is a well respected maiden among the Noldor and Sindar elves for she carries her own titles of 'Lady' in both Rivendell and Lothlorien. Her noble birthright makes her highly sought after. We are lucky... having Elrond agree that a union between his daughter and my son would be a well suited match. And so, Elrond and his family agreed to make the long journey here and they arrived yesterday while you were still on your patrol. We are going to hold a formal dinner between our families tonight to celebrate our futures and the prospects of what this union will bring to our realms."

Each word the king spoke bit away at the prince's initial shock, allowing Legolas' mind to start registering what was really going on, but it only gave way to a surge of panic followed by anger.

"And you didn't think to bring this up to me * _yourself_ * beforehand?! Why tell me now, not earlier?! You had well over a fortnight to do so and I find out * _now_ *?!"

Thranduil narrowed his eyes, angry that Legolas reverted into talking back, but he did not reprimand the younger elf. After all, this was a significant change in his son's life and he could understand how Legolas may become upset.

"No." the king stated plainly. "No I did not bring it up to you because you would have found some... * _well timed_ * excuse that would prevent you from attending. After all, you did just come back from patrol."

"What is that supposed to mean?!"

Thranduil's impatient nature was returning and the noble king took to tapping his foot on the ground absently, waiting for this conversation to end. It did not matter what reasons Legolas had in his own mind to push back on the matter; Thranduil had a duty to provide the best opportunity to his people and a marriage between his son and this maiden, who had strong ties to not one - but * _two_ * prominent elven kingdoms, was a rare chance at a solid future for their people. They had to proceed.

"Oh, I do not know... perhaps spiders would have * _conveniently_ * waylaid your travel or a band of orcs may * _coincidently_ * have a run-in with your platoon... Or whatever situation you could conjure up to become detained…. I know your antics, Legolas, and I will not have them ruin this."

The prince's eyes became mere slits after that uncanny comment, but honestly, the idea of being caught off guard in the middle of the forest would have helped his situation and had he known earlier, he would have been glad if danger found him… or if he intentionally found it. Either way it may not have stopped this meeting, but perhaps it would have bought him more time so he could figure out how to fight back against his father on the matter or even dodge it completely.

"I am not doing it." Legolas blatantly defied his father, using every ounce of his determination to stand his ground. He could not let this come to pass.

Thranduil turned his full attention to is son, his face lacking any kind of emotion.

"Yes you are." The king's voice was even.

"No I am not!" Legolas pushed back. "I have a right to let my heart decide whom I want to marry and I * _will not_ * let someone else make that decision for me!"

"If your heart could find someone worthy enough to be betrothed to, then perhaps I could agree. Yet, since you have shown no interest in anyone, and the fact that Mirkwood is lacking in worthy partners for you to even consider, leaves me with great concern for our realm's future. It is high time we make this a priority and get this underway."

"Why do you get to choose my fate?!" The prince threw the accusing question at his father, his own ire was starting its climb. "Worthiness has nothing to do with love!"

"And when you are a prince… * _love_ * does not always equate to an appropriate union." Thranduil argued, his voice beginning to pick up its tone after finding himself having to explain his authoritative decisions. "I am king, Legolas, and my word is final."

"You hypocrite!" Legolas shouted and he watched as his father stood to his feet once more, only this time Thranduil began to descend the stairs of his high perch. The king's stoney visage was beginning to cloud once again, but the prince's fear of losing control of his life out-weighed any fear he had of the king's impending wrath. "What of you and  _Naneth_?"

Thranduil was caught off guard by the mention of his late wife and his response grew dark.

"What about her?"

"You loved her!" the prince's explanation was desperate, trying to find an example that would point out the unfair circumstances he was facing. "She was of no title and your marriage to her was not arranged! Why do you demand to choose for me when you gave your heart to another so freely?!"

Thranduil was quick to defend himself once he finished his descent from his throne. From there, it only took a fraction of a second for him to come face-to-face with his son. The king's towering posture stooped slightly to match the prince's height, allowing Legolas to see the depths of his anger after questioning the late queen's worthiness.

"Your mother * _was_ * worthy enough for me to take her hand in marriage!" the king shouted back, but still the prince refused to flinch and met his father squarely which only fueled Thranduil's irritability. "She was a prominent militant leader and showed she had every qualification to be Mirkwood's queen! She and I * _were_ * arranged!... I just so happened to love your mother deeply. My father saw that along with her potential to lead our people! I was * _lucky_ *…. Your mother and I followed orders to marry, but I did not resent it nor did she."

This was news to Legolas, but he did not falter in his hard front and simply locked the information away begrudgingly. Again, the silence settled between the royals. Each waited for the other to break it, but it was Thranduil who spoke up.

"Do not drag her into this and tarnish her memory with notions which you know nothing of." Thranduil said and the younger elf's eyes went wide, shocked by the hurtful comment when his words were perceived in a manner in which he did not intend. "And do not - * _ever_ * - question your mother's worthiness, Legolas. You * _barely_ * even knew her."

The words attacked Legolas like any forceful blow and this time the elf visibly flinched. His heart was searing from a totally new ache, causing unexpected yet uncontrollable tears to burn in his eyes. He looked off quickly to hide the raw pain from his father's view, working with vigour to keep his emotions in check and remain valid.

Thranduil straightened up, but watched his son closely with a scowl. On any normal circumstance, his own heart would have shattered in seeing his precious child in such distress over the painful loss that still plagued them both - even after so many centuries had passed. Nor would the king ever use his wife as leverage against his son. But his tender reserves had been depleted from having to rationalize his authority against his own child's foolish accusations. He glared down upon the prince to let whatever hurt that Legolas was facing manifest of its own free will, hoping to bring an end to this conversation.

"Adar you * _know*_ I am not questioning mother's worthiness….." the prince stated with a strong tone, but his voice was rough nonetheless.

"No?" Thranduil asked while arching a single thick brow to feign surprise. "Sounded to me as though you were... Using her as a flaw in my decisions because you do not agree with my authority nor the duty of which you have been assigned for the sake of our people and realm."

Legolas finally pulled his head up despite the welling water that sparkled at the brims.

"Nay  _Adar_. I do not question her worthiness… and it pains me that you think I find her as a flaw… you * _know_ * that to be untrue." Legolas pinned his father with his icy gaze and surprisingly, Thranduil had to look away to hide his own discomfort in having to witness the crushing grief reflecting in the once tranquil blue depths staring him down. "I did not know about the arrangement in which you were betrothed to  _Naneth_ , but the fact still remains that you are stripping me of my chance to find the same love you had. * _That_ *... is what I do not agree with. You are going to force me to marry someone only you approve of."

"Legolas..." Thranduil's tone held a warning. He did not want to keep going with this. "I will not wait an eternity for you to find someone by chance. If we adhere to your timeline in the matter, it may be too late. You have not shown any interest in anyone, so I am stepping in." the king offered and began to walk away, physically leaving the conversation, but the prince refused to let the conversation die.

"How do you know that?!" Legolas fired back. The irony of this whole situation baffled the younger elf. Just a moment ago, Thranduil harshly voiced his perception of what he thought was a feeble bond between Legolas and his mother, when the true disconnect was between the king and prince.

No wonder Thranduil was able to cold-heartedly force his son into this arrangement with such ease.

Thranduil halted mid step and looked over his shoulder.

"...Is there something you are not telling me?" the king speculated with a raised brow, but his question was full of disbelief.

Legolas was taken off guard by the question and his lips parted in a breathless gasp. He was not prepared to give any kind of response when his own defence flew from his mouth. He only wanted to continue fighting back so he would not be forced into this life-changing event against his will.

And yet there * _was_ * something he knew he should tell his father …

Unconsciously an immense surge of feelings swept over him in an instant as images plagued his mind of a certain female warrior he had grown up alongside. Her mane of auburn locks framed her graceful features and her leafy green eyes held a fiery spark of life that always brought his heart joy even under the most strenuous scenarios. Her every move was balanced as though she danced through her motions and her tender, kind-hearted nature melted him.

Even the thought of her name was enough to create a fluttering in his core.

Tauriel.

Legolas' pulse was rushing now. For years he tried to deny the strange fondness that developed for her long ago, but the prince was starting to accept this predilection for his female companion and Legolas knew exactly how he felt.

He… loved Tauriel.

But how could he tell his father this? Especially now when his every word and motive was being scrutinized and twisted by Thranduil, who wanted to act as a king rather than a father. Besides, opening up and showing vulnerability was an undesirable trait for a person of great stature, much less a prince. Sure, there was a time and a place for it, but his transition into a fine, well respected sovereign was full of coaching to shape him to become the noble and professional image for Mirkwood's realm at all times. He was expected to act as a royal and he found it was hard to be otherwise within his father's presence. The topic of love was difficult to try and bring up on his own because he honestly did not know how to admit to his father of the deep connection his heart forged with Tauriel.

The prince cringed inwardly and stopped his thoughts from going farther. Though he needed a way out of his predicament, he refused to let his his unvoiced feelings be used as an excuse.

They were so much more than that.

And now, Legolas felt oddly guilty in a way for his love of Tauriel. He was unsure if she reciprocated the same feelings.

And if not, he surely did not want to force them on her.

But Legolas realized he really did not want to have  _that_  conversation right now with his father. His thoughts now were proof he still had much more to sort out before he'd be comfortable voicing those predicaments with the king, let alone in an open throne room in the heat of the moment.

Thranduil turned to fully face his son after the extended silence gave no indication of lifting. The movement caught Legolas' eyes and his wildly running thoughts robbed him of words.

"So there is no one?" The king assumed with misinterpretation and watched as the prince struggled to come up with some sort of vindication that would allow him to weasel his way out of this. He found a certain degree of satisfaction in watching how Legolas was now reduced to little words after entering his grand throne room on such bold terms. Thranduil's lips tightened into a careful smile of self reassurance. It seemed he finally hit some nerve and now Legolas struggled to argue back, a sign of submission. The king did not try to save his son from his embarrassing stammering and waited before he delivered his verdict. "...As it should be. There is no one here who I could ever consider allowing you to marry."

The snide smile and complete disregard for his hidden feelings caused Legolas to snap.

'Then you are going to pawn me off to build relations between two realms that had no issues before grandfather died!"

Complete and utter shock stole Thranduil's features as the prince continued to let his words lose.

"You retreated home and sealed yourself away, cutting off all ties with Rivendell and now that we find ourselves facing darker days with few allies due to * _your*_ inability to assume * _your_ * responsibilities as king and keep relations strong-."

The prince wasn't given the chance to finish his barrage of insults as Thranduil lost himself in rage. Even the king was unaware of he was doing.

With the weight of his anger and frustrations placed behind his hand, the king swung it to find a solid connection with Legolas' cheek as the the king sharply backhanded his son.

The prince did not see the strike coming and Legolas' head snapped to the side as the crack from the blow resonated through the hall. The elf stumbled back a few paces to keep himself from falling to the floor and his palm came to cradle his face.

"How…. * _DARE_ *…. You!" The livid king screamed. Though he did not advance, his smoldering eyes threatened more violence if the prince continued.

Legolas held his throbbing cheek for a time, but eventually pulled his hand away briefly to see if blood had been drawn from the sheer force. He was vagley relieved to find that his hands were free of any crimson stains. His palm sought the stinging burn once more and he rubbed it lightly as he processed what just happened.

And yet, it was difficult for him to be surprised.

It had been a while since the last time Thranduil lashed out in such a manner. Regardless, betrayal burned on a whole new level deep within and Legolas' face darkened. He refused to look at his father any longer.

Somewhere in the corners of his consciousness, Thranduil's heart wrenched, vexed with himself for utterly losing all control and harming his precious child.

Yet, he easily ignored it and stared the prince down. After all, Legolas pushed him to do it.

The very air in the hall was tighter than a bow string that was quaking to be fired with the energy trapped inside.

Legolas' voice was soft as he tried to forge onward and act like nothing just happened. And the prince's ability to be so calm while banishing any of his searring anger and hurt was truly a force of sheer will, unlike that of his father.

"I refuse to play this part in your diplomatic games. This is as far as my acceptance will reach…. I will not do this." The prince finally looked up as salted drops left his eyes without his consent. He felt betrayed…. Betrayed by his father who had just hit him... betrayed by his father who was forcing him into this companionship... and he even felt betrayed by the elf lord of Rivendell, whom he once held so much respect for. This was not solely Thranduil's idea and Lord Elrond had, in fact, agreed with this proposition to marry his own daughter off. Legolas could not fathom that Arwen was taking the news any better than he was - even if he did not know her.

The prince's stomach began to churn knowing that the gentle, kind and wise Lord Elrond, who also played a factor in stripping him of his rights, would become his own father-in-law.

"* _Yes_ *, you will." Thranduil growled back, his every word dripped with his final say and was yet another warning that his authority was not to fought against.

The prince blinked the tears from his eyes and cast his face away, trying to regain his composure. If there was one thing he hated most it was crying, especially now when he needed to stay strong for his own sake.

"I will not." The prince no longer cared if more strikes came his way. He had nothing else to lose since his own life choices were being taken away from him and he already lost his dignity and possibly even his father's love as well as respect.

He also lost the woman of his dreams before she could even know how he felt… He could never tell Tauriel what she meant to him now.

 _"LEGOLAS_!" Thranduil shouted, his rage was quickly rising again. The prince took a strong step backwards, but his head hung in defeat. "I * _will*_  see you at dinner tonight…. with Lord Elrond and Lady Arwen." A clear end to the conversation had just been initiated, but honestly, it didn't matter if Thranduil was making the decision to end it. The prince had no fight left in him at this point and all he wanted to do was get out here.

With bitterness in his heart, the prince tuned on his heels and began his retreat, but his father checked his motion.

"Legolas?"

Begurgenly, the prince turned to just enough to catch his father in the corners of his eyes. The king straightened up and began to fiddle with his robles to realign them from his physical scuffle. Sufficed that his son was now submitting without comment, the king continued with his train of thought.

"I expect you to be in your finest attire tonight... * _Do not_ * forget your crown."

The prince pressed his lips into a thin line as he huffed, but said no more. His quick pace resumed and Legolas marched to the grand doors, slipping through the exit without breaking stride.

Tauriel's heart broke.

She could not believe what she just witnessed and much like her fellow guardsmen, she stood stone-stiff through the whole ordeal, rooted in place out of fear and shock rather than the duty they needed to adhere to.

But as Legolas walked towards the door, she could see every ounce of anguished hurt on his fair face and the angry red welt that clung to his features. It crushed her.

" _Legolas…_ " She whispered just above her breath to try and gain his attention. She desperately wanted to comfort her friend somehow, but it was clear the prince was far too worked up to even hear her soft voice, let alone see her. Her sights followed the prince as he brushed past her and she debated leaving her post to go after him until a hand clamped on her forearm, redirecting her attention.

Besider her, her captain remained stiff, but he could read Tauriel's intent and he thought fast to prevent her from abandoning her post. Thranduil's wrath was not to be trifled with - especially now and if she abandoned her post, there was no telling how he would deal with her.

She looked to the throne to find Thranduil's menacing glare barreling in their direction as fuming anger rolled off the king in tendrils of dark energy. Tauriel's heart froze in fear, although it was hard to tell if Thranduil was watching them or the prince's retreat.

Tauriel gulped.

When Legolas' light steps could no longer be heard, Thranduil's voice carried with ease across the vast hall.

"What you just witnessed today is not to be spoken of…. Ever….. Is that clear?"

The guards shifted slightly, obviously shocked and uncomfortable with the situation they found themselves witnessing. Today started off so routine, but things escalated quickly when conversations not meant for their ears did not go smoothly. If only they could be dismissed and escape the thickness...

"* _IS_ * that clear?!" Thranduil repeated with a shout. Each of the guards flinched, spooked by the intense question and the idea that they would be next to experience Thranduil's wrath. They wasted no time in response.

"Aye."

"Aye."

"Yes my lord."

Out of the four guards standing in the hall, the king counted only three responses and Thranduil pinpointed the single soldier who had yet to accept his strict order.

It was Tauriel.

The king leveled her with his dark eyes, but Tauriel could only look back at him in disbelief. How could he treat his own son thusly?

"If you do not agree, then I will be more than glad to find ways to make you keep your silence." The king offered and began to cross his arms slowly.

There was a part of Tauriel that wanted to fight back for Legolas' sake. His circumstances were incredibly unfair and no one should have to be forced to follow an order to give up on their heart's desire.

"Am I clear?!" the king asked, giving one last chance to submit before he followed through on his threats.

Her fear overcame the she-elf and Tauriel responded with a shaky nod. She had no choice.

"...Y-Yes, My Lord."

"Good." Thranduil's gaze remained fixated on her for a moment longer, showcasing he would not tolerate a single person disrespecting him further. Legolas had done that enough. Quickly though, the irate king turned on his heel to thump his way back to his throne.

* * *

**To Be Continued….**


End file.
